A brief look at the stories making headlines in the Russian-language press

		Izvestia Kommersant Noviye Izvestia Obshchaya Gazeta Komomolskaya Pravda Moskovsky Komsomolets Vedomosti

Izvestia
www.izvestia.ru

A story examines the four joint statements made by Presidents Vladimir Putin and George W. Bush at their summit in Washington, with a focus on economic and investment issues.

The American magazine, "Men's Journal," has published an advertisement inviting American pilots to take a supersonic flight over Moscow in the a Russian MiG-29. A story looks into what's behind the ad.



A story looks into relations between OPEC and Russia. Russian proposals to cut oil exports by 30,000 barrels per day was seen as insufficient by OPEC to stop oil prices from sliding further.

Igor Sergeyev, a presidential adviser on strategic affairs, said Russia expects the United States to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban treaty. The story explains why this is significant.

Moscow's city government is expected to discuss on Dec. 11 a proposal that includes ways to decrease traffic jams in the city. The story looks into this serious problem.

A story seeks responses from Russian intelligence officials on reports by the Times of London that British double agent Kim Philby was ordered by Josef Stalin to assassinate Spanish dictator Francisco Franco.

Relatives of the victims of the Russian airliner destroyed by an errant Ukrainian missile in July have filed suit in a court in Artyom against airline Vladivostok-Aiva. The plaintiffs are demanding larger compensation from the company. The story looks into the case, which began Thursday.

A story focuses on a draft code of corporate management, which the Russian Union of Industrialists will consider on Nov. 29.

The story looks at Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov's three-day visit to Spain, which began Thursday. Spain is the only member of the Paris Club of Creditors to whom Russia is indebted that has shown interest in Kasyanov's "debts for investment" proposal.

The Federal Commission on Protective Measures in Foreign Trade next week plans to raise customs duties on foreign autos more than seven years old.

Several foreign players may soon appear on the Russian diamond market. The story looks at their plans.

MDM-Bank has bought a package of stock of Petrovsky Narodny Bank. The story comments on the deal.

In a wide-ranging interview, head of the Filmmaker's Union, Nikita Mikhalkov, talks about the industry's strained relations with the Culture Ministry.

The first Siberian air show initiated by the KrasAir company is slated for Dec. 1-4 in Krasnoyarsk. The company's director general, Boris Abramovich, talks about the event.

In an effort to increase passengers, Moscow's airports have taken steps to improve services in the airports and on board planes. The story looks at how successful these attempts have been.

Two staff writers from Magapolis Express have filed a suit in a Moscow court against the makers of the feature film, "Moscow." The story looks into the case.



Kommersant
www.kommersant.ru

A story analyzes the plans to privatize Vneshtorgvbank drafted by the Central Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

The State Duma on Wednesday failed to overcome the Federation Council's veto of a legislative amendment limiting the number of governors and presidents eligible to run for a third term. The story comments on the issue.

Deputy Finance Minister Andrei Cherepanov resigned Wednesday, and , according to rumors, Deputy Finance Minister Yevgeny Bushmin be also be on the way out. The story gives details.

The Dagestani Supreme Court today was expected to begin hearing arguments Thrusday in the trial of Chechen warlord Salman Raduyev and three others accused of carrying out raids on Kizlyar in 1996. Russian Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov will act lead the prosecution.

Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Kudrin said Wednesday that Russia will begin 2002 without budget debts but with a minimal financial reserve of 25 billion rubles ($862 million). Before the price of oil fell, the government planned to have 100 billion rubes in reserve. The story looks at the budget situation.

Ten leading domestic beer breweries have publicly complained about the use of young people in Klinskoye beer advertisements. The Russian Brewers Union endorsed the criticism of Sun Interbrew, a Belgian-Indian joint venture that produces Klinskoye. The story looks more closely at the conflict.

Croatian pharmaceuticals company Pilva announced on Wednesday plans to begin producing medicine at Moscow's Sortex enterprises. The story looks at the Pilva company and its business in Russia.

Moscow's Construction Program Department announced plans to build a new housing complex based on Chinese technology. The story looks into the advantages of the project.

Swiss bank BNP Paribas has approved a 30-month loan of $100 million to the Tatneft oil company. The story looks at the development.

America West Airlines on Wednesday applied to the U.S. Congress with a request to release a federal $400 million loan, the first company to take advantage of this money.

The Economic Development and Trade Ministry on Wednesday presented to market participants one of the major draft bills on pension reform concerning investment to the accumulative part of labor pensions. The story examines the document's controversial points.

The story examines an inefficient system of defending intellectual property in Russia.

Noviye Izvestia

Moscow First Deputy Mayor Boris Nikolsky has ordered city utilities to prepare for heavy snowfall over the weekend.

The Fund of Civil Freedoms, founded by Boris Berezovsky, intends to launch a project of providing legal assistance to servicemen doing their army service in Moscow and the Moscow region. The story examines the fund and its projects.

A European Commission of British, Swedish and Russian experts late in November will begin work on a project to deliver practical consultations in six major economic sectors to specialists in the Economic Development and Trade Ministry . The story examines the project in detail.

OBSHCHAYA GAZETA #46



Political analyst Andrei Piontkovsky looks at results from President Vladimir Putin's visit to the United States, focusing on the split that has formed between the president and Russia's political elite.

A story looks into Belarussian authorities' plans to extend a major highway through the Kuropaty Forest, were many victims of Stalin's repressions were executed and are buried.

The OG newspaper gives results of its Internet opinion poll to learn why skinheads, Russian fascists and extremists have become very active lately.

Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov shares his views on several versions about reasons behind the recent attacks by skinheads and neo-fascists on market vendors near Tsaritsyno metro.

The Justice Ministry is expected to submit to the State Duma before the end of the a draft bill on fighting extremism. Ministry official Sergei Nikulin, a co-author of the draft, discusses it in an interview.

Four organizations headed by the Kremlin's property department decided to create a Presidential Club, which will be done without budget money. The story examines the project in detail.

The story explains why several State Duma deputies are opposing Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization.

Alexander Zhukov, head of the State Duma's Budget Committee answers questions about next year's draft budget, about lobbying the Duma and about his family and hobbies.

Komomolskaya Pravda
www.kp.ru

Vladimir Kadannikov, chairman of the AvtoVAZ board of directors, answers questions from readers about his company's joint projects with strategic investors.

Alexi Mozhin, head of the International Monetary Fund's Moscow office, talks about IMF Director Horst Kohler's recent visit to Moscow and his meetings with President Vladimir Putin.

Rosbank and the UN Children's Fund have summed up the results of their competition for best projects aimed at helping children. The story features several winning projects.

What is happening Behind the Glass? The story looks at the controversial but popular reality show and the behavior of its contestants.

Iren Fyodorova, widow of late eye surgeon Svyatoslav Fyodorov, has created a Fund of Promoting Advanced Medical Technologies named after her husband. The story describes its planned activities.



The story examines reasons behind the continuing conflict among the Prosecutor General's Office, the State Customs Committee and the Interior Ministry.

Moskovsky Komsomolets
www.mk.ru

The story reflects on possible reasons behind the sinking of the Kursk submarine, concluding that the operation to raise the doomed vessel was a cover-up by authorities to divert attention from the real reason for the tragedy.

Ice-covered roads in Moscow on Wednesday caused numerous road accidents in the city that left several victims. The story gives details.



The fourth national honey fair will open on Nov. 21 in the Manezh Central Exhibition Hall. The story features an amazing history of this fair.

Vedomosti
www.vedomosti.ru

Well-known banker and lobbyist Alexander Mamut, 41, decided to take a job in Rosbank, in which with time he will be able to head the board of directors. Mamut's new post will involve lobbying the bank's interests in power structures and attracting leading companies to use his bank's services. He fulfilled similar functions in MDM-Bank, in which he headed the Overseeing Council. (A1)

OPEC no longer wants to be alone in keeping oil prices from falling further. Cartel members in Vienna agreed Wednesday to cut oil extraction starting Jan. 1, 2002 only if OPEC non-member countries follow their suit. This demand, above all, concerns Russia. (A1)

Vladimir Putin's highly placed supporters would like their fellow-countryman Gennady Yavnik, Director-General of the Fund for the Restoration and Renovation of the Kostantinovsky Palace in St. Petersburg, to become head of the Chamber for Industry and Commerce. Yavnik has confirmed his intention to take part in the elections of the Chamber head. (A1)

The State Duma on Wednesday passed, in the third reading, a draft law on indexing the land tax rates. Brief. (A1)

To what extent will the RTS index grow by the end of this year? Several economic experts share their viewpoints on the issue. (A2)

The American Enron Energy Company ceased to exist on Nov. 8. This company, with an annual turnover exceeding $ 100 billion, will be absorbed by the smaller company Dynegy. A story describes how it happened. (A2)

The Yakutian Supreme Court's inquiry regarding Article 67 of the local Constitution was submitted to the Federal Constitution Court. An article limits the repeated election of the republic's president by two years. A story comments on the issue. (A2)

The American-Russian statement, concerning new Russian-American relationships in the economic spheres, contains the following provision -- The United States refuses to link politics and business giving businessmen the right to develop relations with Russia themselves. (A3)

The Finance Ministry's Foreign Debt Department head, Andrei Cherepanov, officially quit his post on Wednesday. He is convinced that he will not be able to uphold his responsibilities. In an interview he says how, in his opinion, the state should shape its debt policy. (A5)

Vedomosti. Companies and Markets

Three leading domestic breweries announced Wednesday that they had excluded Sun Interbrew, the second largest company in the sector, from the Brewers' Union. A story looks at major reasons. (B1)

The reform of Russia's energy companies has yet to start, but its minorities have already launched a struggle for their rights. Thus, the small shareholder Rayanenergo is trying to convene an extraordinary meeting, suspecting that the Unified Energy Systems would like to obtain its network at a low price. (B1)

Rosneft is the first among domestic companies to place its eurobonds after the 1998 crisis. A story analyses its actions. (B1)

The Committee of Kuznetsky Metallurgichesky Kombinat's creditors at its session on Wednesday approved a scheme of reorganizing the enterprises by creating daughter structures. A brief looks at the scheme. (B1)

The American United Technologies Corp. (UTC) intends to invest $15 million into the Perm Motor Plant on the creation of a new aviation engine PS-90A2. This was stated by UTC's Executive Director George David. Brief. (B1)

LUKoil will become the only supplier of crude oil to the NORSI-oil company in Nizhny Novgorod. Brief. (B1)

An international tender has been announced for the right to design the first plant in Russia to make liquefied natural gas, which will be built south of Sakhalin. A brief mentions several technical characteristic of the future plant. (B1)

Chechen oil is in high demand. The Ministry of Natural Resources has announced a competition for the right to develop oil deposit in the republic. The tender is scheduled for January. A story examines 3 participants. (B2)

American Newmont Mining is gradually becoming the world's leading gold-extracting company after it ousted AngloGold out of first place. The company on Wednesday announced that it made an agreement on purchasing the large Australian company Normandy Mining and the Canadian Franco-Nevada Mining. A story examines the deal. (B2)

Ruslan and Volga-Dnepr competing aviation companies and the Ukrainian Antonov Aviation Design Bureau have agreed to modernize their aircraft together. But even in this case, each side has to invest no less than $55 million each. A story describes the deal. (B2)